New Post
Search
HelpEdelweiss as a name?
What do you think of Edelweiss (pronounced eɪdəlvaɪs) as a name? I wouldn't necessarily use it, but I find it intriguing. The name is from German, Edelweiß, literally translating to "noble-white", a compound of edel "noble" and weiß (or weiss) "white." As a rare short-lived flower found in the Alps, it is associated with rugged beauty and purity and is sometimes considered a national symbol for Austria and Switzerland. Berthold Auerbach published a novel entitled "Edelweiss" in 1861, where the difficulty for an alpinist to acquire an edelweiss flower was exaggerated to the point of claiming that it is "proof of unusual daring." According to Ralph Waldo Emerson, Edelweiss represents noble purity. "Edelweiss" is also a song from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein's "The Sound of Music."
Here's the link to the song if you are curious https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtEzZEe_5kA.
Here's the link to the song if you are curious https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtEzZEe_5kA.
This message was edited 12/11/2014, 7:56 PM
Archived Thread - replies disabled
1
Replies
I have a character in my fanfic named Ed L. Weisz, full name Edna Laura Weisz. The name jumped into my head for some reason. Edna Ferber and Laura Ingalls Wilder are writers from my state, and Harry Houdini's real name was Erik Weisz, and he also called Appleton his home. It has a beautiful sound, but is a bit much as a name. Maybe if there are enough fictional Edelweiss's first, maybe it could catch hon.
1
Rachel Weisz is the name of the actress who played in "The Mummy," and she is of Austrian-Jewish descent. Maybe she and Houdini are distantly related?
1
I know a baby Adelvice
I can't stand the spelling, but then Edelweiss would be quite a hefty spelling too.
I'd leave it in the Sound of Music.
I can't stand the spelling, but then Edelweiss would be quite a hefty spelling too.
I'd leave it in the Sound of Music.
1
The 'vice' part in the spelling Adelvice does make it look like it has criminal associations, but I suppose it is easier for people to see it spelled phonetically.
1
User-submitted namesake, not verified
Pasted below:
Short form of Edelweiss, the name of a mountain flower, derived from the German edel, "noble" and weiß, "white". In Ireland this name is given in honour of Irish missionary Edel Quinn (1907-1944), who was made a Venerable in 1994. Her birth name was Edelweiss.
Pasted below:
Short form of Edelweiss, the name of a mountain flower, derived from the German edel, "noble" and weiß, "white". In Ireland this name is given in honour of Irish missionary Edel Quinn (1907-1944), who was made a Venerable in 1994. Her birth name was Edelweiss.
1
I love the song, and I think that it actually has a pleasant sound and a great meaning. I would find it difficult in the first name spot.
It would make an amazing middle name, though.
It would make an amazing middle name, though.
1
It would make an interesting middle name, but I think it's going to remain a guilty pleasure for me. I do like the sound and history of it though.
1
Think of naming your child "Snow White"... Snow you could get away with but adding the "white" makes the names cartooney and comical. Or, the French "Soleil"... it's just a word in France (sun), but a name in English. A name that makes the French laugh.
That is how I feel about Edelweiss.
As someone who speaks German, the idea of it as a name makes me giggle. As someone who grew up in the States, I cannot get the song out of my head now. Also, since it is a a word that immediately brings a cultural identity to mind, I am assuming there are Groups and Businesses that already use it.
Edel is actually quite lovely, but Edelweiss not so much. The sound is pretty, but I could never take it seriously. It's trying just a bit too hard.
I have never heard of anyone with either Edel or Edelweiss as a name, but I am sure you are not the first to appreciate the sound.
That is how I feel about Edelweiss.
As someone who speaks German, the idea of it as a name makes me giggle. As someone who grew up in the States, I cannot get the song out of my head now. Also, since it is a a word that immediately brings a cultural identity to mind, I am assuming there are Groups and Businesses that already use it.
Edel is actually quite lovely, but Edelweiss not so much. The sound is pretty, but I could never take it seriously. It's trying just a bit too hard.
I have never heard of anyone with either Edel or Edelweiss as a name, but I am sure you are not the first to appreciate the sound.
1
You're right. It is a tad over the top although I still appreciate the musical quality of saying it. I wasn't planning on using it personally, but thanks for your feedback.
1
It's by no means unknown here in South Africa, where German used to be widely taught in schools. And the meaning used to appeal to a certain kind of parent, back in the days of apartheid. I've known a couple - they tend to shorten it to Edel - but the political history of it makes it the reverse of intriguing.
1
Interesting, since the Afrikaners were Dutch, I usually think of Dutch rather than German in connection with apartheid. Evil people tend to ruin everything even something as simple as the name of a flower. Thanks for letting me know. Were other names that have white within their meaning like Blanche, Albus, and Whitney also misused?
1
I don't think it's usable. Where I live Edelweiss is a name given to cultural centers or groups.
1
After reading your comment, I looked this up, and you're right. Edelweiss is the name of a resort in Bavaria, a German restaurant in Chicago, and a tour group. I had no idea Edelweiss had been commercialized to such an extent.
1